This week's TV includes a party hotel in Liverpool that opens its doors to viewers and 12 amateur bakers are ready to put their baking skills to the test.
Brain Surgeons: Between Life and Death
Monday 21 September
Channel 4, 9pm
Our brains are crucial to our daily functions and making us who we are, individual quirks and all, but how much do we really know about the brain?
This documentary will look at the patients at Southampton’s Neurological Centre who need to undergo complex brain surgery that will change and crucially save their lives.
The first episode sees 12-year-old Matthew face a critical two-day surgery surgery to remove a rare tumour in his mid-brain. However, as the tumour is located in his pineal gland, there is a danger of the surgery affecting his sight, muscles, hearing and sensation.
The Great British Bake Off
Tuesday 22 September
Channel 4, 8pm
Viewers will once again see 12 new amateur bakers pick up their whisks and get ready to bake their most impressive creations.
From cake to pastry, everyone will be eager to win the coveted star baker title, but with social distancing in place there will be no famous Paul Hollywood handshakes.
The 11th series will see Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith return as judges with Noel Fielding hosting, who will be joined by a brand-new host Matt Lucas.
This series will see Japanese week and 80s week introduced as the bakers are tested on 30 brand new challenges.
Contestants include everyone from an armoured guard who has a passion for bread, to a radiographer who uses baking to celebrate her Caribbean roots and a beekeeper who loves copying celebrity chefs.
The Write Offs
Tuesday 22 September
Channel 4, 9:30pm
It is estimated one in five adults are considered to be functionally illiterate and Sandi Toksvig is exploring Britain’s low adult literacy rate, while offering a group of adults aged 22-66 the chance to improve their literacy and change their lives.
The two-part series focuses on eight adults who lack the basic literacy skills needed to navigate everyday situations.
From the 66-year-old town crier, who wants to be able to write a thank you letter, to the young mum who wants to be able to help her kids with their homework, they all hope to reduce the shame and stigma around illiteracy.
Each adult receives one-to-one tuition over four months and face a series of challenges to put their new reading, writing and spelling skills to the test.
Celebrity Karaoke Club
Wednesday 23 September
ITV2, 10pm
Celebrities will show off their singing skills in a new music competition which will see famous faces head to a karaoke bar and prove they can command the stage, both solo and in group battles.
The twist, however, is that the people they need to impress are their fellow celebrity competitors, who will send home a celebrity who doesn’t hit those high notes every episode, only to be replaced by a new celebrity ready to fight for the karaoke crown.
The celebrities taking part include TV presenter Scarlett Moffatt, comedian Joel Dommett, Drag Race’s Baga Chipz, TV and radio presenter Melvin Odoom and reality star Jessica Wright.
The Grand Party Hotel
Thursday 24 September
BBC One, 8pm
In the heart of Liverpool sits The Shankly Hotel, a special place that people from all over the UK go to celebrate everything from birthdays, to baby showers, graduation parties to wedding anniversaries, divorce parties to hen and stag weekends.
With the top floor of the hotel reserved for its party room, The Shankly boasts affordable luxury for all, with individual themed communal rooms that can sleep up to 24 guests making it perfect for large groups.
Décor ranges from pink flamingos hanging from the ceiling to communal jacuzzis and lions’ heads on the wall.
The first episode features Laura, who is celebrating her divorce, Debbie, who is throwing a special baby shower for her daughter Jess, and brides-to-be Trudie and Danielle, who have made good use of the hotel’s wedding planner.
Utopia
Friday 25 September
Amazon Prime
Utopia initially aired on Channel 4 in 2013, but the forward-thinking thriller ended after only two series and has had a US remake written by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn.
Now set in Chicago, a group of online comic book fans get together in the hope of obtaining a sequel to the cult graphic novel they are all obsessed with.
The group is made up of conspiracy theorist Wilson (Desmin Borges), catfish Grant (Javon Walton) who is not the rich adult he makes out to be but instead a pre-teen, timid office worker Ian (Dan Byrd), kind girl-next-door Becky (Ashleigh LaThrop), who is hiding a secret and new addition Sam (Jessica Rothe), an activist and leader of the group.
Things take a dark turn when the group find themselves on the run from a mysterious organisation who are prepared to murder to stop anyone from getting the comic.
If the group want to stay alive and a step ahead, they will need to unearth the secrets the comic holds, right as they run into the real-life embodiment of the comic’s protagonist Jessica Hyde (Sasha Lane).
